Bubba Watson - The unconventional golfer|Great Golf Magazine Bubba Watson - The unconventional golfer and Richard Mille watches Posted: 21 Sep, 2013 18:51 Self-taught and talented with an unusual approach to mastering the game that distinguishes him from other professional golfers, Bubba Watson is a physical giant striking the ball with incredible force. A fun-loving family man, he wears his heart on his sleeve and uses his success to raise money for charity. He also has a passion for unique time pieces. My experience with golf is, I must admit, rather limited. I did however have a few golf lessons long ago, and just as I thought I was mastering my swing, any perceived skill evaporated into the ether. My golf coach explained that this was all part of the game, which unfortunately did not sit well with my own rather impatient personality. So when I was asked by Richard Mille, exemplar of neoteric haute horology, to interview their ambassador, the legendary golfer Bubba Watson, the prospect presented a challenge. How do you interview a top sports personality about a sport of which you have limited knowledge?

Well for this interview the answer was obvious because for Bubba, there is so much more than just golf. White and pink. Bubba Watson was born in 1978 in Bagdad, Florida. A physical giant, standing at 6 foot 3 inches tall, he strikes the ball with incredible force resulting in an average driving distance of 313.1 yards. Bubba is a refreshing change from the usual pro golfers. He is known for wearing all white attire with pink detailing and using a pink driver in support of charity. With a down to earth persona, he talks of his humble origins and shows his emotions. Tears streamed down his face on clinching victory at the Masters, hugging his mother in an affectionate embrace. In his play-off against Louis Oosthuizen, his ball landed in the woods. The undergrowth should have put paid to his ambitions and frustrated his aspirations. However, after striking the ball with such ferocity that golfing wisdom would have suggested impending doom, he curved it out of the woods and it landed on the green. "It was just a crazy shot that I saw in my head." says Bubba. This is not a man who follows convention.

It is, therefore, no surprise that he wears a very special wristwatch, a Richard Mille RM 038. Left handed. Bubba is left handed, a rarity in the higher echelons of the game, and even more remarkably he is self-taught. So when I met him at The Open at Royal Lytham and St. Annes, I questioned whether he considered himself to be every golf coach's nightmare. "For most people golf lessons are the recommended means to improving your game, but I'm the exception to the rule. There haven't been many self taught pro golfers, but it has worked for me." Under the glare of the media spotlight, many golfers seek the aid of specialists to cope with the immense pressures of playing top-flight sport. "Is this something that you have ever considered?" I ask him. "I don't use any sports psychologist, I try and do it all myself. You are going to have bad days and good days. But for me, it is all about having fun with the game. I like the fact that when I win it's all down to me." No chocolate. As a sportsman Bubba clearly puts thought into his diet and exercise regime.

His personal trainer, who goes by the nickname 'Fish', is a qualified Physiotherapist and on hand should Bubba strain any muscles in this increasingly physical game. Whilst Fish monitors what Bubba eats, the man himself admits, "I could always do better. It's an area I kind of slide on, but who doesn't from time to time?" However, he then goes on to explain that he avoids soda, chocolate or caffeine based drinks and his svelte physique reminds me that I could possibly be more virtuous myself on the dessert front. Back to school. Bubba has chosen his own very unique approach to life. He went back to university in 2008 and successfully completed a degree in Consumer Economics. It was there he met his future wife Angie. She played basketball, another sport close to Bubba's heart. "I overheard her talking about golf one day and told her that I could get us on the golf course if she wanted. Luckily she said "yes." I played real good and she said, "You have played before!" So I told her I was just about to turn pro.

She was already a professional basketball player and was heading off to Italy to play so we didn't see each other for quite a while. I called her every day, and two years later we got married." A new addition to the family. Recently Bubba and Angie adopted a little boy, Caleb. I asked Bubba how he would feel if his son wanted to become a golfer. "I would be really happy; we could play together just like me and my dad used to do. He taught me the basics and I took it from there. But if he wanted to play basketball, I would love that too. Doing things as father and son would be great, as long as it isn't piano. I don't play piano," he says, with a beaming grin on his face. Charity. Bubba is well known for his support of a number of charities, stating on his website that, "Helping these charities, and more importantly the families involved, can be more rewarding than winning a golf tournament." "It's part of my belief system. Golf is fun and what I do for a living, but it also offers me the platform to help people that are in need, something that is important to me as a Christian.

When I was growing up, we didn't have much money, but there were plenty of people worse off than us. I especially want to help kids that are ill and also to support cancer research. This is particularly close to my heart as my dad died from cancer - the biggest killer in the world. I can play golf at a high level and still do some good for others. Of course, selfishly I want to win, but in turn that is what enables me to do more for charity." Becoming an ambassador. Bubba does not seem to be the conventional watch brand ambassador and he's definitely less corporate than others I have met. Whilst researching Mr Watson, I watched several video clips of his fun-filled antics, playing trick shots on 'Bubba's Bridge' and striking balls from a bodyboard towed by a speedboat. However, he seems the perfect fit for Richard Mille, whose watches are equally unconventional.

"The brand was looking for an American golfer who produced a high swing speed so they could prove that this watch still works under that sort of pressure," says Bubba pointing to his RM 038 and adding, "I am recorded as having the fastest swing speed at 126 mph." Bubba is clearly proud of his watch, which continues to function faultlessly despite the harsh treatment meted out to it. Outside the box. Bubba has a certain empathy with Richard Mille, the man behind the brand. "What does Richard do? He challenges himself and challenges the watch, and through this he shows the world what can be accomplished. Like me, he thinks outside the box instead of following tradition. I like to have fun and goof around," says Bubba with a smile. "Once Richard decided he wanted a golfer and he saw me, he thought, "That's the guy," and that's how we started working together." Bubba now has quite a collection of Richard Mille watches and I salivate as he relates the impressive inventory of models to me. Down to earth. Bubba is clearly gifted and highly intelligent. During our conversation his eyes seem to overflow with energy.

He has a sharp wit and genuinely made me laugh; no sycophantic guffaws required. The key aspect I drew from our conversation was Bubba's grasp of reality and his down to earth values. I have no doubt that Bubba's beliefs, his sense of belonging to a loving family and his need to put something back into society will provide the concrete foundations for a happy life and an enduringly successful career. Richard Mille. Richard Mille, French by birth, launched his brand in 2001 with his first high-end timepiece, RM001, costing ?200,000. The inspiration was F1 racing, bringing together space-age materials with pleasingly dramatic results. He has always been honest, not hiding the youth of the company that bears his name. His watches harness all the exquisite hand finishing of the finest traditional brands associated with haute horology. However, Richard Mille watches embrace new solutions to enhance robustness and accuracy, and eschew weight. Moreover, the designs have modernity, with pleasing forms born of functionality, all the outcome of Mr Mille's creativity.

Journalists and fans of horology immediately took to Richard Mille and the brand has continued to enjoy growing popularity and respect ever since. Masters champion Bubba Watson has a story that will bring you (and him) to tears | Golf.com Masters champion Bubba Watson has a story that will bring you (and him) to tears More Photo: Robert Beck/SI Bubba Watson defeated Louis Oosthuizen on the second playoff hole at Augusta to win his first major championship. by Alan Shipnuck Posted: Tue Apr. 10, 2012 Updated: Mon Dec. 1, 2014 Install App Bubba Watson is the right Masters winner for these turbulent times. Augusta National may be a bastion of the 1%, but Watson is a down-home guy with a homemade golf swing whose dream car is General Lee, the hot rod from The Dukes of Hazzard, which he recently bought at auction and has been tooling around in ever since.

In the moments after Watson's unlikely victory at the 76th Masters, he thanked, in order, the Georgia Bulldogs (his alma mater), Jesus Christ ("my Lord and savior") and the host club's African-American locker room attendants, members of the 99% that make up Watson's core constituency. A native of the Florida panhandle town of Bagdad, ol' Bubba got himself in a pickle last summer when he played a tournament in Paris and couldn't quite summon the names of the famous monuments he had visited, alluding to "an arch" and a museum that "starts with an L." He's not exactly a student of golf history, either. Once asked about Tiger Woods's pursuit of Jack Nicklaus's various records, Watson said, "I'm not sure how many Masters Tiger has won. Actually, I'm not sure how many Jack has, either." He did add, helpfully, "I know it's a whole mess of 'em." Bubba's fans (450,000 and counting on Twitter at @bubbawatson) eat up this stuff.

When he's not raising money for charity or acting like golf's Jackass -- have you seen the video in which he hits a ball over his house into the hot tub? -- he can be found showing off his prodigious chest hair by wearing nothing under his overalls in a goofy boy band spoof on YouTube called Golf Boys. (We watched it so you don't have to.) It's delicious that Watson kicked down the door at the Masters because no one takes themselves more seriously than the lords of Augusta. They imbue their club and tournament with an absurd solemnity, but Bubba knows that golf is supposed to be fun, and he plays with a childlike wonder. At 313.1 yards, he is the PGA Tour's longest hitter by almost six yards. He swings driver with a macho pink head and shaft for cancer awareness, and for all four rounds at the Masters his attire was all-white, in support of children's cancer research. Self-diagnosed with attention deficit disorder, Watson never hits the same shot twice. The PGA Tour abounds with tall tales of his massive cut shots around lakes and screaming draws over distant bunkers. "I don't like to go to the center of the greens," Watson says.

"I want to hit the incredible shot. Who doesn't?" Fittingly, he won this Masters out of the trees. On the second playoff hole against a game Louis Oosthuizen, the lefthanded Watson hooked his drive into a forest of pines off the fairway of Augusta National's 10th. Two holes running he had missed 18- and 12-foot putts that would have won the Masters, but Bubba never stopped strutting around as if he were Boss Hogg. Watson's motto has always been, "If I got a swing, I got a shot." He located a gap in the trees and off the pine straw and with a gap wedge he whipsawed what he called a "40-yard hook" to within 10 feet of the hole, a small miracle that thoroughly spooked Oosthuizen. Curving a shot such a distance is remarkable by any standard, especially with today's engineered golf balls; Bubba pulled off the 155-yard shot with a short iron off a dicey lie. Never mind the pressure. Oosthuizen, the runaway winner of the 2010 British Open at St.

Andrews, failed to get up and down from in front of the green, and just like that, golf had its first genuine folk hero since John Daly emerged from the backwoods of Arkansas in 1991. Watson's wife, Angie, is already predicting that Bubba will serve In-N-Out burgers at next year's champions' dinner. Oosthuizen, who dueled with Watson for 20 holes, was still trying to digest what had befallen him: "That's really entertaining to play with him, to see the shots that he's taking on and shots that I don't really see or I would ever hit." Watson, 33, may be a trick-shot artist, but he's not a fluke. He has gotten better every year on Tour -- he has won four times in his last 39 starts, including twice in 2011; he starred at the Presidents Cup last fall; and in eight starts this year he has been in the top five on four occasions with no worse than an 18th-place finish. He also has proved to be a consistent threat in the majors, including a playoff loss at the 2010 PGA Championship.

Now he's the top American in the World Ranking, at No. 4. Augusta seems uniquely suited for Bubba Ball. As Jim Furyk said on Sunday, "The most important thing at Augusta is creativity, and Bubba can do that as well as anyone. Phil Mickelson has a great short game, dominant length and great creativity, and it's worked out well for him here." Like Forrest Gump, Watson can be accidentally profound. He was asked in the champion's press conference how good he can be. "That's the best part about history -- we don't know what's going to happen," he said. "We don't know the future. We don't know anything." Actually, we do know this: Golf just got a whole lot livelier. Bubba's heroics capped a Masters that was defined by the improbable. Woods roared into town two weeks removed from his first PGA Tour victory since before he ran over a fire hydrant in November 2009. He arrived with a remade swing that had propelled him to the top of the Tour's total driving stat, which takes into account length and accuracy.

But his preparation for the Masters had been complicated by the publication of a tell-all by his former swing coach Hank Haney, who wrote candidly of Tiger's fear of hitting the driver. Sure enough, Woods began his Masters with a snap-hook that settled on the edge of the 9th fairway. It was the big miss, and then he did it again on the next tee, two frightful swings that haunted him for the rest of the tournament. During a second-round 75, he plainly had no idea where the ball was going, and Woods sullied the Cathedral in the Pines by kicking a discarded nine-iron and swearing oaths audible to a national TV audience. ("Goddam!" was a particularly inspired choice on Good Friday.) Woods would finish 40th, his worst Masters showing as a pro, but he wasn't the week's only dud. Rory McIlroy had spent the preceding 12 months insisting he was not scarred by throwing away a four-stroke lead during last year's final round. That was easy to believe after he opened 71-69 to get within a stroke of the lead held by Fred Couples and Jason Dufner.

But on Saturday, golf's boy wonder again seemed overwhelmed, shooting a front-nine 42 to blow himself out of the tournament. McIlroy is only 22, and it's comforting to think he'll have other opportunities, but you can lose the Masters only so many times before the hurt metastasizes. Ask Tom Weiskopf. Or Johnny Miller. Or Greg Norman. Or Ernie Els. All were once phenoms being fitted for green jackets, but they never got it done. McIlroy's demise created a vacuum of star power on the third-round leader board until Mickelson blitzed the back nine in 30, what his caddie, Jim (Bones) Mackay, called the second best nine holes Mickelson has played, behind the iconic Sunday back-nine 31 at the 2004 Masters, when he won his first green jacket. Mickelson's 66 left him a stroke behind surprise leader Peter Hanson of Sweden, but that was considered a mere inconvenience; Sunday was to be a coronation as Mickelson would tie his idol, Arnold Palmer, with four Masters wins and supplant Woods as the king of Augusta.

(Tiger has four green jackets too, but none since 2005.) The only words of caution came from Steve Loy, Mickelson's agent and onetime college coach. "I get nervous when they start handing out trophies when there's still 18 holes to go," Loy said. In fact, it took Phil only one swing to dig a hole from which he would not recover. With a front-left pin placement on the tough par-3 4th, the preferred miss is long and a bit left, but Mickelson overdid it -- his ball clanged off a railing in the bleachers into a bamboo thicket on the edge of the property. It was the most unlucky carom since Jean van de Velde doinked a grandstand during his famous meltdown at the 1999 British Open, and it left Mickelson no place to take a drop for an unplayable lie. Phil the Thrill does everything but golf righthanded and has a long history of switch-hitting when unable to take his normal stance. "He won the Sun Devil Classic for us hitting righthanded from under an oleander bush to an island green," Loy says.

This time it took Lefty two jabs from the wrong side of the ball to escape the thicket, leading to a homely triple bogey. He would never again get closer to the lead than two strokes. Mickelson's misadventure was only the second-most dramatic moment in the early going of the final round, as on the par-5 2nd hole Oosthuizen stirred the ghost of Gene Sarazen by holing his second shot for an albatross that vaulted him to 10 under and a two-stroke lead. With apologies to McIlroy, Oosthuizen may have the sweetest swing in the game. "Unfortunately, he doesn't have Rory's desire," says Oosthuizen's swing coach, Pete Cowen. "If Louis wanted it a little more, he could easily be the best player in the game." Watson has the opposite problem -- he cares too much, and the big question for this high-strung, jumpy competitor was whether he could calm his nerves on Masters Sunday.

A three-putt on the 1st hole wasn't promising, especially since Watson had declared following his second round, "I am not a very good putter." Five strokes off the lead after his playing partner's double eagle, Watson rallied to birdie the 2nd and 5th holes. His charge to victory began at number 13, where he hit a nine-iron (!) into the par-5 and made birdie. He made another at 14 thanks to a gorgeous approach, cutting his deficit to a stroke, and Watson matched Oosthuizen's birdie at 15 when he reached the par-5 with seven-iron, what counts as a long iron for him. He finally pulled even with a pressure-proof eight-footer on 16, his fourth straight birdie in a finishing kick that evoked Charl Schwartzel's flourish of last year. When Watson finally dispatched Oosthuizen in the playoff, he started to break down even before he pulled his ball out of the hole. Then he dissolved into tears in the arms of his mom, Molly. Turns out that for all his swagger, Watson has a soft heart.

On Easter Sunday he got misty at any mention of his newly adopted son, Caleb, or his late father, Gerry, a Green Beret who was forever admonishing his son to swing harder at the Wiffle balls he batted around in the family's backyard. "My dad taught me everything I know," Watson says. "It's not very much, but that's all I know." A willingness to laugh at his own goofiness is what makes Watson so endearing. When he came out on Tour he was so hard on himself, he scared people away with his brooding. As he has learned to minimize the negativity-he credits his wife's steadying influence and being born again in 2004 with altering his perspective-Watson has made deep friendships, which explains why Aaron Baddeley, Ben Crane and Rickie Fowler followed the playoff on foot. (Like Watson, all are regulars at the Tour's Bible-study sessions.) Noticeably absent was Angie, who is usually a towering presence in Bubba's gallery. A onetime WNBA player, she stands an inch taller than her 6'3" hubby. Angie had stayed in Florida to tend to Caleb, who is only six weeks old.

Still, there was a definite family vibe when the Watson entourage gathered in Butler Cabin on Sunday night. Baddeley's two daughters were scampering around the cabin, which is decorated in a style best described as Southern masculine. "They call him Uncle Bubba," Baddeley said. "He'll be a great dad because he's just a big kid himself." There was a bartender in the corner, but everybody was drinking soda-like Bubba, his friends and family are teetotalers. The general feeling in the room was dazed disbelief. Watson's caddie, Ted Scott, said to no one in particular, "I can't believe he gets to come back here for the next 40 years." A club employee walked through the cabin with a green jacket on a hanger. Fowler looked at it longingly. "Please?" he asked. It wasn't for him. The jacket was a 43 long to replace the bigger one Watson had originally slipped on. "I'm more than happy with either one," Watson said. He was then led to the traditional champion's dinner with the Augusta National membership, a collection of the richest and most powerful men in the country.

These are not exactly Bubba's people, but his seat at the table came the old-fashioned way. He earned it. How Golf Bonded Bubba Watson, His Father How Golf Bonded Bubba Watson, His Father How Golf Bonded Bubba Watson, His Father The deal was non-negotiable. A six-year-old Bubba Watson wanted desperately to play golf with his father, Gerry Watson, but his dad already had a standing Saturday foursome with his golf buddies from work. Can’t take little Bubba out with the big boys. He’s never even played. And he’s only 6. Bubba’s mother, Molly, had something to say about that. “My mom said the only way you can play on Saturdays is if you take your son,” Bubba said. Gerry stood his ground. “He said ‘No, I don’t want to take my son,” Bubba recalls. “I want him to be a baseball player. He doesn’t need to play golf. That’s dumb for him to play golf.” The argument went nowhere. In a hurry. “My mom was the boss of the house,” Bubba said.

“My mom said, ‘Then you’re not going.'” Moments later, Gerry was looking for the keys and calling for his son. “Bubba, get in the car, let’s go.” And thus, a legend was born. ‘It’ll Change Your Whole Life’ Winner of the 2012 Masters in April, Bubba wasn’t able to share that moment with his father, a Green Beret lieutenant in Vietnam, who died of throat cancer on Oct. 15, 2010. That’s perhaps one of the reasons why you saw him sobbing uncontrollably with his mother at Augusta National, mere seconds after winning the Green Jacket. But Bubba knows his father is now in a better place. Even if he couldn’t have always said that. In fact, it was only about two months before Gerry’s death that Bubba was certain his father had accepted Christ into his life. “He knew Angie and I were Christ followers and everything but he wasn’t having it,” said Bubba, who was paired with Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson and barely missed the cut at this week’s U.S. Open, which wraps up on Father’s Day.

“He’s read a lot of books on different cultures and religions and I know he knew (about Christianity), but he never went to church.” So, with Gerry’s health progressively getting worse, Bubba and his caddy Teddy Scott, met with PGA Tour chaplain Larry Moody to hatch a plan on evangelizing his ailing father. The plan was simple yet genius. And Bubba knew that it just might work. Well, he prayed for such a miracle, anyway. Bubba’s father, who had been fighting Rheumatoid Arthritis for 19 years was quickly dying of throat cancer, yet he was still able to read. So Teddy penned as sincere of a hand-written letter to Gerry as he knew how, boldly sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ: Your son loves you. He does everything for you. You’ve made him the man he is today. And he loves Christ more than anything in the world. He would love to see you in Heaven with him. At the end of the letter was a P.S., that explained exactly how he could have eternal life by praying the following prayer of salvation. “And it’ll change your whole life,” Bubba remembers the final line of the letter. A month passed.

Bubba never talked to his dad about the letter. Until one day he called. “He said ‘Hey, you need to start practicing,'” Bubba recalls that pivotal conversation. “It was a couple weeks after I had just won my first golf tournament ( The Travelers Championship ). I said ‘Dad, I am practicing. I just won. I’m trying hard.'” Gerry cut him off: “When I get to heaven, I’ll be so good at golf.” Bubba’s heart skipped a beat. Did he just hear what he thought he heard? “But I tried to play it cool,” said Bubba, a committed Christian since 2004 . “I acted tough, like it didn’t faze me what he had said.” So Bubba responded with humor. “I said, ‘Dad, look, heaven’s great, but heaven’s not going to make you that good where you’re better than me.'” As the conversation unfolded, he realized what had happened with his father and that letter his caddy had sent. “In my heart, I believe he had to have asked the Lord into his life,” Bubba said. “It was very moving. Very touching. The Lord had changed him.

Something went on. “He happened to pass away two months later.” ‘I’m Basically a Kid at Heart’ Bubba’s 155-yard miraculous playoff shot from the Augusta pine straw has been well documented. Everywhere from Letterman to Fox News has broken down Bubba’s freakishly innovative ability to will a golf ball, as if he was a puppet Master. Even overhead diagrams of the “Miracle at the Masters” shot have been passed around the social media world like it was the Sneezing Panda . And in turn, Bubba has used his new platform to talk about his love for Jesus through the media and to his 600,000-plus Twitter followers. But all that fanfare about winning the Green Jacket has taken a back seat in Bubba’s world. Not even two weeks prior to that Easter Sunday victory, Bubba and his wife, Angie, adopted one-month old Caleb from South Florida. Bubba turned to Twitter to break the news on March 28: Everyone #angieb1433 & I are proud new parents of a 1month old baby boy name Caleb. Been a parent for 2 days.

#amazing It was a long road for Bubba and his wife, who had waited four years since starting the adoption process in Florida. Moving to Arizona and his dad’s cancer had slowed down the process. Weeks before finding out there was a baby boy that might be theirs, Bubba insisted he was ready for this next step. “Am I nervous about being a dad? No,” he said. “I’ve been around nephews my whole life. I’m used to kids. I’m basically a kid at heart.” Shortly after the adoption, Bubba took some heat in the golf world for pulling out of the Wells-Fargo Championship in Charlotte, N.C., and the Players Championship in Ponte Vedra Beach on back-to-back May weekends in order to bond with his son. He took to Twitter again to announce his decision and despite the unfair backlash from the golf community, he’s firmly stood by his decision to put his family first, even if his golf game suffered a bit. I feel blessed and excited I get to spend quality time with Caleb and Angie in the next few weeks #diaperchange The Players is one of the best weeks of the year but bonding with my son and wife is what it is all about right now.

#familytime ‘I Just Followed My Dad’ Bubba’s not exactly sure what his parenting style will be, but he does have one tip that any dad can benefit from. “As long as you have that Bible to lean on, you can always be a good father,” the Bagdad, Fla., native said. And despite not growing up with a Christian father, Bubba was taught some key biblical principals. “Even though he wasn’t a Christian believer,” Bubba said of his dad, “his biggest thing growing up was the 10 Commandments. “I maybe lied twice in my life during middle school. That’s one of the biggest thing he taught me was not to lie.” But that’s far from the only thing Bubba has learned about being a dad. “I fall back on everything’s he’s taught me,” said Bubba of the man who worked as a maintenance manager at an agriculture biotech company. “We’ve been molded a certain way because of our parents. The good and the bad. “Hopefully, as a dad, I’ll take all the good points from both my mom and my dad.” And included in some of those “good points” from dad are the countless and distinct memories at the golf course.

He still remembers getting his first left-handed club at age 6, a 9-iron from the local pro that his dad cut down to his smaller size. “I would just walk down the fairway at 6 years old with one club in my hand, hitting it straight up the fairway,” he said. “I just followed my dad. “My dad drove the cart. Him and his buddies were always in the trees looking for balls.” But he also remembers his father, who so desperately wanted Bubba to fall in love with baseball, become his biggest golf fan. “He didn’t push me into any sport, he just let me be me,” Bubba said. “I never had a lesson at golf. He let me learn it myself.” And while golf bonded father and son, there was a lot more that Bubba gleaned from his dad. “I know I’ve taken everything I’ve learned from him and I have it in the back of my mind,” Bubba said. “He’s one of the best teachers I’ve ever been around.” As the arthritis worsened and the cancer robbed the final years of Gerry’s life, Bubba’s relationship was maintained mostly over the phone. But that didn’t stop the two from staying close.

“He was always watching, always wanted to know what I was doing in my life,” Bubba said. “He was the one guy who always asked me what was going on in my life. I just miss talking to him.” Steve and Barry Launches Surf and Skate Line | SGB Online Steve and Barry Launches Surf and Skate Line Posted by Thomas J. Ryan | May 15, 2008 | Outdoor , Outdoor People , Uncategorized , Update | 0 | Legendary surfer Laird Hamilton teamed up with Steve & Barry's to launch the WONDERWALL collection, a surf and skate apparel line for men that debuts May 15. The 165-item WONDERWALL collection will be sold exclusively at all Steve & Barry's locations, with every item priced at $9.98 or less. It also is supported by thethisiswonderwall.com website. According to Steve & Barry's, Hamilton was the first to complete a 360-degree loop on a surfboard, created tow-in surfing to tackle huge waves such as 70-footers, and made marathon-like paddleboard journeys around the world.

His 2004 film Riding Giants is among the most successful surfing movies of all time. Hamilton said, “Wonderwall represents everything I'm about — not only what I wear in and out of the water every day, but also those aspects of life that I'm most passionate about. I'm excited to work with Steve & Barry's to create clothes that look great and are comfortable, but also affordable. Guys that live the surf and skate lifestyle want to spend their time tracking the next big swell or finding a new skatepark, not worrying about having enough money for t-shirts and shorts.” The line plays on the themes and colors of natural environments such as Maui, where Hamilton grew up and still resides with his wife, professional volleyball player and model Gabrielle Reece, and their daughters. Over 30 original graphic t-shirts in the collection play off Hamilton 's approach to life, such as his personal tagline, “Every man is equal before a wave.” Board shorts featuring edgy and artistic details are also at the core of the collection.

The WONDERWALL collection marks Steve & Barry's entry into the surf and skate category, building on the success of recently launched proprietary lifestyle brands that include women's clothing and footwear collections with Sarah Jessica Parker, Venus Williams and Amanda Bynes, men's urban and basketball gear and sneakers with NBA superstars Ben Wallace and Stephon Marbury, and a line of high quality golf apparel with PGA Professional Bubba Watson. “Surf and skate is a natural extension of our lifestyle brand mix, and Laird Hamilton is the perfect partner to create a line that looks great and embodies his passion for life,” said Steve & Barry's co-CEO Barry Prevor. “Laird is an icon for the millions of young men who live the extreme lifestyle today, and we're very excited to enter the category in a huge way together with such a legend.” Share: Posted by Thomas J. Ryan | May 15, 2008 | Uncategorized , Update | 0 | Legendary surfer Laird Hamilton teamed up with Steve & Barry's to launch the WONDERWALL collection, a surf and skate apparel line for men that debuts May 15.

The 165-item WONDERWALL collection will be sold exclusively at all Steve & Barry's locations, with every item priced at $9.98 or less. It also is supported by thethisiswonderwall.com website. According to Steve & Barry's, Hamilton was the first to complete a 360-degree loop on a surfboard, created tow-in surfing to tackle huge waves such as 70-footers, and made marathon-like paddleboard journeys around the world. His 2004 film Riding Giants is among the most successful surfing movies of all time. Hamilton said, “Wonderwall represents everything I'm about — not only what I wear in and out of the water every day, but also those aspects of life that I'm most passionate about. I'm excited to work with Steve & Barry's to create clothes that look great and are comfortable, but also affordable.

Guys that live the surf and skate lifestyle want to spend their time tracking the next big swell or finding a new skatepark, not worrying about having enough money for t-shirts and shorts.” The line plays on the themes and colors of natural environments such as Maui, where Hamilton grew up and still resides with his wife, professional volleyball player and model Gabrielle Reece, and their daughters. Over 30 original graphic t-shirts in the collection play off Hamilton 's approach to life, such as his personal tagline, “Every man is equal before a wave.” Board shorts featuring edgy and artistic details are also at the core of the collection. The WONDERWALL collection marks Steve & Barry's entry into the surf and skate category, building on the success of recently launched proprietary lifestyle brands that include women's clothing and footwear collections with Sarah Jessica Parker, Venus Williams and Amanda Bynes, men's urban and basketball gear and sneakers with NBA superstars Ben Wallace and Stephon Marbury, and a line of high quality golf apparel with PGA Professional Bubba Watson.

“Surf and skate is a natural extension of our lifestyle brand mix, and Laird Hamilton is the perfect partner to create a line that looks great and embodies his passion for life,” said Steve & Barry's co-CEO Barry Prevor. “Laird is an icon for the millions of young men who live the extreme lifestyle today, and we're very excited to enter the category in a huge way together with such a legend.” Share: How did Bubba Watson prepare for the PGA Championship? Naturally, by opening a candy store - Golf Digest LinkedIn SPRINGFIELD, N.J. — It’s the question du jour for players, Bubba Watson among them, at Baltusrol Golf Club who less than two weeks earlier were competing at Royal Troon: How did you spend your time during the short turnaround from the British Open leading up to the PGA Championship? No response, however, has been more interesting than the one from Watson, who did one of the more Bubba like things he could do. He opened a candy store. Bubba’s Sweet Spot in Pensacola, Fla., is a collaboration between the two-time Masters champ and business developers Quint and Rishy Studer.

The trio had been talking for more than a year about the idea of opening a store near Watson’s hometown that would sell candy, fudge, ice cream and other assorted treats. The discussions became more serious early in the year as everybody crunched the numbers to figure out how to make the place financially viable. The store had a soft launch in early July with the official grand opening coming last Friday, which Bubba proudly in attendance. Considering his name is on it, it’s probably no surprise that Bubba appears to have been fairly involved with the place. He helped get the logo chosen by putting together YouTube videos that got the public to vote in an online poll. The only problem with being the owner of a candy store: Eating into your profits. “Who doesn’t like candy and fudge and ice cream? I’m spending the most money in there,” he joked.

As for golf, Watson says he didn’t touch a club from the time he returned from Scotland (with a day of media obligations in New York in between) to the time he arrived at Baltusrol on Sunday, in part to recharge for the PGA Championship and the busy two weeks he’ll have afterward, playing in the Travelers Championship (an event he’s won twice) and then in the Olympics. “I didn’t impress anybody at Troon, so hopefully here I can impress some people.” You’re the owner of a candy store, Bubba. Believe me, you already have. Once again: Phil Being Phil 5 hours ago Podcast 9 hours ago Presidential Golf 10 hours ago News & Tours 11 hours ago Bubba Watson brings flair and competitive spirit to Tim Tebow's charity tournament | Golf.com Bubba Watson brings flair and competitive spirit to Tim Tebow's charity tournament More Photo: David Walberg / SI Bubba Watson was on of the top attractions at the Tim Tebow Foundation Celebrity Golf Classic at TPC Sawgrass. by Michael Bamberger Posted: Mon Apr. 16, 2012 Updated: Mon Dec.

1, 2014 Install App PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. -- The Bubba Watson Show came to the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass on Saturday, for the Tim Tebow Foundation Celebrity Golf Classic . Bub got to the 17th tee and grabbed a microphone. Tim “Two Gloves” Tebow, native son of Jacksonville, headed to the Jets, was doing some gardening on the 16th green. “Tim Tebow, Tim Tebow!” the host of the next Champions Dinner at Augusta National barked out. Behind him, TV towers were going up for next month’s Players Championship. “You’re the ugliest guy out here!” The new back-up quarterback for the Jets would not engage in such a childish competition, although the brown-and-tan plaid shirt Bubba proudly wore to the Friday night suit-and-tie tournament gala could surely do well in one of those Ugly Plaid Shirt competitions. Let it be noted Bubba pulled it off. What you could say about Tebow is that no golfer looks more athletic wearing two gloves.

He’s a lefty, so he wears one on the right hand just like Mike Weir and Phil Mickelson and Bubba Watson do, to name the three southpaw Masters winners. He wears the golf glove on his left hand “so I don’t get blisters” on his throwing hand, he said Saturday. The rounds took more than six hours. Each group had one celeb and four ams playing a best-shot better ball all the way to the hole. Through the day, only one person gave Tebow, a beloved Gator and a Sunshine State resident, a hard time for failing to sign with a team that desperately wanted him, the Jacksonville Jaguars: Bubba Watson his own self. Of course, Bubba grew up in Florida, too, on the Panhandle, although he left Florida to play golf at the University of Georgia. There’s a big ole G right on the ball pocket of his Ping bag. The skier Lindsey Vonn was in the field, as was Artis Gilmore. His ABA 'Fro was long-gone, but the man is still loaded with grace.

Gary LeVox of Rascal Flatts and Fred Durst of Limp Bizkit did not break into song, and they did not go super-low, either. Really, with Watson and no other Tour players in the field, none of the other 17 teams had a chance. But that didn’t stop Tebow from trying. Late in his round, upon learning that his team trailed Watson’s by two, he said, “Now we start the fourth-quarter charge.” It seems to work well in his day job, but not on Watson’s playing field. Team Tebow finished three back of Watson’s team, which finished 15 under par. Even in this friendly little charity event, the intense competitiveness of the two headliners was on full display. When one of the amateurs in Bubba’s group holed out a bunker shot, Watson, playing in shorts and in a cart, raised both his hands in celebration. On the 10th tee, there was a free-throw competition. The first guy in Watson’s group tossed up an airball. The next guy clanked. Watson said, “Least ya hit something.” Then came Watson, all net. He’s got a flying right elbow on his left-handed shot.

Not a shocker. Tebow arrived on the 10th tee some minutes later. He learned that Bubba had holed his, and when the quarterback missed he grabbed his own rebound and slapped the ball. He was truly annoyed. When Tebow’s brother, Robby, ripped a drive, Tebow said, “That’s what I’m talking about.” He only plays for keeps. Both Watson and Tebow are talkers. When Watson and his four ams posed for a group shot. Watson said, “Suck it in, boys.” He’s got a lot of showman in him, he’s loaded with zingers and he’s always taking things in. When long-drive champ Gerry James uncorked a 380-yard downwind drive on 18, Watson watched in awe. He’s the longest hitter on Tour, and his drive was at about 45 yards shorter. But the most moving part of the day came when Watson arrived on the secluded, roped-off fifth tee. There were no spectators around. Waiting on the tee was a retired Army staff sergeant, Dan Nevins, who works now for a veterans group called the Wounded Warrior Project .

Nevins was hitting a tee shot with each group that came through. As they stood on the tee, Watson asked, “Do you mind if we ask you your story?” He could not have worded his question with more graciousness. Nevins was wearing shorts and he wore golf shoes on prosthetic feet that were attached to his thighs by, essentially, two rods. In other words, he’s a double amputee from the knees down. Nevins, who was awarded a Purple Heart, was injured in Iraq in 2004. Since then, he’s had more than 30 surgeries. Watson listened to Nevins’ story with abiding interest. When he was done, Watson told Nevins about his late father, a Green Beret in Vietnam who lived his post-war life with shrapnel in his body. The golfer watched the wounded warrior make a powerful swing. “I’m playing Augusta next week,” Nevins told Watson. He’ll be walking the hilly course. It won’t be a problem for him. He’s climbed Mount Kilimanjaro. Watson said, “Are you really?” Nevins could hear Watson’s real message: I’m happy for you, man, and good luck.

Nevins then watched Watson smash a drive into the wind, with his pink-shafted club, his feet dancing all over the place, his 43L green jacket safe-and-sound in the truck. It was all good. More From the Web Bubba Watson's wild week, Rory vs. Brandel, and an ex-golf WAG's workout obsession - Golf Digest Bubba Watson's wild week, Rory vs. Brandel, and an ex-golf WAG's workout obsession By LinkedIn Welcome to another edition of The Grind, where we had no clue Bubba Watson was such a big “Boy Meets World” fan until last week. In addition to everything else that happened in L.A., Watson took the time to film a cameo for an upcoming episode of “Girl Meets World,” the spinoff of the classic show. Bubba, why didn’t you say something! I can introduce you to my college buddy, Lee, aka Minkus! Suddenly, my offer doesn’t seem as exciting.

Moving on… WE'RE BUYING __Bubba Watson: __ Forget about the “Big Four,” Watson is the one to beat at Augusta National after his latest win at the Northern Trust Open against a strong field. He also became the first PGA Tour player to ever win an event in the same week he passed a kidney stone, taped a cameo on a TV show, and sat courtside at a big basketball game. Impressive. Pinterest West Coast Swing: Watson added his name to an impressive list of winners from this exciting stretch that also includes Jordan Spieth (yes, we’re counting Hawaii as West Coast), Brandt Snedeker, Hideki Matsuyama, and a resurgent Jason Dufner, plus Vaughn Taylor’s improbable, heartwarming win over Phil Mickelson at Pebble Beach. The best news for golf fans? The PGA Tour season is still more than a month away from the year’s first major. Rory vs. Brandel: Remember Tiger vs. Brandel? That’s soooo 2015. Chamblee vs. McIlroy is where it’s at now when it comes to golf feuds we’re blowing way out of proportion.

The Golf Channel analyst voiced concerns McIlroy might be spending too much time in the gym, and the four-time major champ responded with a video of him weightlifting and then this crack about doing squats with Chamblee on his back. Loading "Tranquility": As in, that’s the name of the house mansion property zip code Greg Norman has put on the market. It’s beautiful, Greg, but I think that if I’m going to plop down $55 million , I need more than one putting green, and I want the waterfront guesthouse to have more than two bedrooms. Sorry, just my personal preference. WE'RE SELLING __ Rory McIlroy’s Sunday: __ What the heck happened?! After eagling his first hole of the final round to grab a share of the lead, McIlroy made seven bogeys and one birdie the rest of the way to fall all the way to T-20. The 75 was the worst final round score of his career at a non-major. It's OK, he'll be back. __Jordan Spieth’s week: __ The World No. 1 opened with a 79 and missed the cut.

He now has more missed cuts (16) than Tiger Woods does in his career. And it got worse. Check out this shank on Riviera’s range: It's OK, he'll be back, too. Soomin Lee: The 22-year-old South Korean appeared headed for his first European Tour title at the Maybank Championship before disaster struck. He double bogeyed the 16th and 18th holes to lose to Marcus Fraser by a stroke. Ouch. Passing kidney stones: And speaking of things that can hurt, according to Bubba, his latest “baby” was bloody, but it gave him no pain. Sounds like the lefty got really lucky, from what we’ve heard and seen: ON TAP The PGA Tour heads to Palm Beach and the Honda Classic to begin the Florida Swing. Watch out for PGA National’s Bear Trap! That’s young Caleb getting a lesson on the drums from Justin Bieber. And now, supposedly, Stephen Curry wants to give him shooting lessons next. Tough life. VIRAL VIDEO OF THE WEEK This is Chris Wood and Joost Luiten working on their soccer skills in the middle of a sporting goods store in Malaysia.

We also could have titled this section, "This week in European Tour players having more fun than the rest of us." QUOTE OF THE WEEK "It's unbelievable, six years since my last title. My kids keep saying to me every time I walk out the door, 'dad, can you bring home a trophy?' And I say, 'I'll try, I'll try'. . . . "This time I get to take one home and they can take it to school for show and tell, which is going to be pretty cool. That's the main reason I wanted to win." -- Marcus Fraser after winning the European Tour’s Maybank Championship for his first victory in 119 starts. OK, now we don’t feel as bad about Soomin Lee's choke. THIS WEEK IN PAIGE SPIRANAC BEING PAIGE SPIRANAC Check out Paige hitting a tee shot out of some brave I'm a big Paige fan, but you couldn't pay me Rory McIlroy-Nike money to do that. Speaking of Rory. . . THIS WEEK IN RORY MCILROY MAKING US FEEL BAD WITH HIS TRAINING As if normal push-ups weren’t hard enough. . .

Loading That was so intense it could have passed as a scene from the training sequence in Rocky IV. At least, Rocky Rory showed he’s human at the end of the week, both with his golf, and his diet. Loading View on Instagram THIS WEEK IN EX-GOLF WAGS MAKING US FEEL BAD WITH HER TRAINING A hotel room workout? That's nothing. In between getting body painted and posing for Sports Illustrated’s Swimsuit Issue, Lindsey Vonn made sure to work out – in body paint and heels: Loading She and Tiger really seemed meant for each other. Sigh. __THIS WEEK IN DUSTIN JOHNSON-PAULINA GRETZKY PUBLIC DISPLAYS OF AFFECTION __ Loading We’re assuming those emojis mean something to the extent of “thinking about my love.” Less clear is what Paulina is wearing. Is that some sort of a circus costume? THIS AND THAT This is the week that Jack Nicklaus Ryder Cup party to rally the American golf contingent is supposed to happen. Because nothing says intimidation like a game of charades. . . .

With Jim Furyk sidelined due to wrist surgery, Mike “Fluff” Cowan has been on Sung Kang’s bag for a T-17 and a T-8. Sounds like the front-runner for caddie of the year. . . . A new Tiger Woods biography from writers Jeff Benedict and Armen Keteyian is in the works. Like Tiger’s comeback, there seems to be no timetable. . . . And finally, shout-out to my co-worker Joel Beall, who baked these delicious chocolate chip cookies from scratch (Or so he claims): Bubba Watson spotted with PING iBlade irons at THE PLAYERS Bubba Watson spotted with PING iBlade irons at THE PLAYERS By Jonathan Wall, PGATOUR.COM Follow @jonathanrwall Bubba Watson arrived at THE PLAYERS Championship on Monday with a new set of PING iBlade irons, his first iron change in three years. (Jonathan Wall/PGATOUR.COM) PONTE VEDRA BEACH, Fla. — Bubba Watson has had little trouble working his way into PING's latest woods, wedges and putters over the years.

But when it comes to his irons, the two-time Masters champion is incredibly loyal. Prior to switching to PING's S55 irons at the 2013 BMW Championship, Watson employed the same S59 model irons for nearly a decade, going back to 2004 when he was playing the Web.com Tour. The comfort level Watson had with S59, coupled with his ability to work the ball both ways and vary the trajectory, made it nearly impossible to get the clubs out of his bag. Since Watson made the successful switch to S55 in 2013, he's added a second Green Jacket and four PGA TOUR titles. Until this week, S55 was the only piece of equipment in his bag that hadn't changed in the last few years. But that will likely end this week after Watson arrived at THE PLAYERS Championship on Monday with a new set of PING iBlade irons (3-PW) in the bag. The irons have pink paint fill and Watson's first name stamped on each head. The iBlade, which debuted at THE PLAYERS, features a compact head, topline and little offset — three traits that have been found on previous S Series models.

A Custom Tuning Port (CTP) is also visible in the back cavity that most likely distributes weight to the perimeter for improved forgiveness and feel. The CTP has been a staple of past irons PING has introduced. Unlike most of the equipment in PING's lineup, the company has varied the release date of the better playing iron model. More than three years passed between the launch of S56 and S55; it was two-plus years between the debut of S55 and iBlade. Find the latest gear online at the PGA TOUR Superstore PREVIOUS

Question: Sportsman Gerry Watson is better by which first name?
Answer: BUBBA